Tiger's Voyage (27 page)

I put my hands on my hips and stared her down. “I don’t love them because they’re rich. I love them because they’re sweet, good, and honest men. And neither of them deserves to be saddled with a witch like you.”

Randi tittered mockingly. “Oh, you are naive, aren’t you?” She patted my cheek condescendingly. “You need to learn there’s no such thing as a good man, honey. Men are stupid and only think of one thing.”

She swished her hips and was out the door before I could think of a response so I just shook my head and sighed. Obviously she didn’t really care about Ren at all.
Someone should tell him so he can deal with her and
get her out of all of our lives.

Ren’s new room was empty. The bed was made and the clothes were all put away. His dog-eared book of Shakespeare quotes was lying open. I flipped it over and found a line highlighted: “But O, how bitter a thing it is to look into happiness through another man’s eyes.”

Turning the book over, I set it down gently where it rested before and reached into my pocket for my phone. Flipping it open, I located Ren on the
GPS
tracker and found him hiding out in the back of a storage room in the garage. I didn’t see him at first. Boxes were stacked everywhere, as well as cleaning buckets, mops, brooms, and shelves full of parts and supplies. In the very back, on a mat, lay my white tiger.

I squatted down next to him. He kept his head on his paws. His chest rumbled softly.

“Your new girlfriend is making trouble for everyone, you know.” I couldn’t help myself; I reached over and petted his head. “I don’t know what you were thinking. She doesn’t even like cats.” I grinned lopsidedly, then sighed. “Kishan and I will try to keep her occupied for a couple of hours so you can be a tiger. But you owe us a big favor. She’s trouble. The ‘double, double toil and trouble’ kind.”

Ren started purring when I scratched behind his ear. Then the sound cut off abruptly, and he shifted away from my hand.

I stood up. “Well … see you later,” I said, as I headed off to breakfast.

When I found Kishan, he was so happy to see me I laughed.

“Ren needs to be a tiger a while longer, and I promised him we’d keep her busy,” I whispered.

“Because
you
asked,” he kissed my forehead, “I will help you entertain her and try to tolerate her ceaseless talking and flirtation.”

I smiled. “I knew there was a reason I liked you.”

He put an arm around me. “The feeling is mutual.”

Kishan suggested we all watch a movie. Randi agreed and sat on the couch patting the seat next to her when he strolled over. He deliberately sat in a recliner instead, snagged my wrist, and dragged me over to sit with him.

No one paid any attention to Randi, who sulked from the couch, and claimed she was bored after the first half hour. We gave up and decided to swim instead.

Kishan and I dove in and swam laps. Randi came over and sat on the edge of the pool, leaning back in the sunshine, presumably to soak up rays, but I believed it was actually a ploy to show off her artificial bosom.

At a break, I stopped near her and turned to watch Kishan stroke smoothly through the water.

“I’ll still get him, you know. Either him or the other one. I’ve never met a boy I couldn’t have. You really shouldn’t swim without a cap. The chlorine ruins your hair.”

I smiled falsely, nodded, and began swimming laps again until I felt a hand grab my ankle and yank me underwater. Big arms wrapped around me and pulled me to the surface.

Kishan grinned. “We’re done babysitting. Ren came to retrieve her on the last lap.”

I looked over his shoulder and sure enough, Randi was gone.

“Now … how would you like to change and finish snuggling in the media room?”

“I thought you’d never ask.” I yelped as he carried me quickly up the pool steps and sent me off to the showers to change.

That evening, as the
Deschen
drew anchor, Kishan, the crew, and I made sure that Ren escorted Randi off the ship.

Ren smiled and bent to kiss her cheek. He murmured something quietly and pressed her close in farewell. Kishan smiled secretively.

“What? What is it?” I asked.

He whispered, “Ren called her a
sukhada motha
. ‘A delightful weed.’”

I laughed. “He does have a knack for nicknames.”

Randi headed our way and grasped Kishan’s arm. In a stage whisper, she said, “I hope your little girlfriend didn’t mind me watching you shower. I’m
sure
she’ll understand. Please contact me
anytime
.” She slipped a pink card into his hand and pressed her ample bosom to his chest as she went to peck him on the cheek but purposely hit the corner of his mouth instead. She winked at him meaningfully and sashayed down the ramp, swiveling her hips like a church bell.

As soon as Randi’s stilettos were out of sight, there were murmurs from the staff of locking the ramp to the side of the boat just in case she decided to come back.

Kishan wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and grunted. “My mother would have eaten her for breakfast.”

“Really?” That made me smile.

“Yes.” He grinned. “You, on the other hand, she would have loved.”

He draped his arm around my shoulders and as we headed back upstairs, I looked for Ren but he was gone.

When the
Deschen
finally lifted anchor, everyone on the ship breathed a collective deep sigh of relief.

After we were under way again, I headed up to the wheelhouse to visit with the captain.

“Ah, hallo, Miss Kelsey. And how are we feelin’ ta’nite, eh?”

“Hey, Captain Dixon.”

“Jus’ call me Dix.”

I laughed. “Okay, Dix, Mr. Kadam had me bring up dinner because you didn’t get a chance to eat tonight.”

He smiled and glanced at me briefly, then returned his gaze to the window. “Jus’ set it down right dere if ya would, den, miss.”

I set down his tray, leaned my hip against the console, and quietly watched him work.

He peered at me out of the corner of his eye. “You’re lookin’ more at ease dan I’ve seen you in a while, if I may say so.”

I nodded. “I’ve been doing better. Kishan takes good care of me, and we finally got rid of the sea hag.”

“And happy was de hour she stepped off of me boat too.”

I laughed. “I heard you locked her out of the wheelhouse.”

“She was coming to bodder me all times of de day and night. She be complaining dat she was seasick and all manner of rubbish.” He set a few instruments and picked up his dinner tray. “Would ja be keepin’ an old sea dog comp’ny while he eats his dinner, den?”

“Sure.”

He sank into the captain’s chair and sighed. “Every time I settle me old bones in a chair it gets a little harder to coax meself out of it.”

I sat in the chair next to him. “A good chair is worth its weight in gold, my mom always used to say.”

He laughed heartily. “Dat’s right. Many an old man would radder sink himself into a comfy old chair dan be rich.”

“So how long until our next stop?”

He chewed and swallowed. “I’m hopin’ we won’ be makin’ any more stops. At least not ta pick up any passengers. My plan is ta head straight to de Shore Temple. We should be on de ocean for a week or so.”

We chatted casually until he set down his dinner tray. He checked the instruments and said, “Would ja be wantin’ another yarn of de sea today, Miss Kelsey?”

“Have you another one ready?”

“De day dis captain run outta stories is de day I turn in ma cap.”

I grinned and crossed my legs, getting comfortable. “Go on, then. I’m ready.”

He pushed back his hat and scratched his forehead. “Do ya ever watch de seabirds as dey fly out over de ocean?”

“Sometimes.”

“If yer watchin’ real close, ya can see dem carryin’ twigs and branches and sometimes stones. Dey drop ’em in de water.”

“Why do they do that?”

“Listen, and ye will learn. Once der was a beautiful maiden named Jingwei who loved de ocean. She ’ad a little boat, and she spent many hours on de water. She’d row out in de morning and would’n return ’til dusk. For many years de sea accepted her, but dere was a charming sea captain, a good lookin’ man, almost as handsome as meself.”

He waggled his eyebrows, making me giggle.

“Jingwei fell in love wid de captain and wanted ta ride de waves wid him. But he wanted her ta stay home and raise a family. ‘De water is no place for a wooman,’ he said.”

“What did she do?” I asked.

“She told him dat if she can’t be on de water, den neither could he. Dey settled down near de beach, but both of dem longed for de sea. One day Jingwei tell him dat she gonna have a child. Dey were both happy for a while. But when neither of dem was lookin’, dey both stared at de water. De captain, he tink his wife bein’ with child will keep her home. So he go fishin’ early one mornin’. But de ocean, she been waiting for dis. You see, de sea, she’s a jealous mistress and was very angry wit dem.

“De ocean rise up and swallowed de ship. Jingwei, heavy with child waited for her man all day, but he never return. Later she heard he drowned. She took her little boat and rowed offshore. Den she shook her fist at de sea and ask why did she take her man?”

“Then what happened?”

“De sea, she laughed and told Jingwei all de handsome captains belong ta her. She can’t steal dem away.”

“Huh … sounds like Randi.”

Dixon laughed out loud. “Ah, dis much is true. Jingwei argued and treatened de ocean but de ocean sent de laughing bubbles ta the shore. When she tired of listenin’, she sent de big wave ta drown Jingwei, but Jingwei is part magic and changed her body ta a seabird. Dat is why de seabirds screech so noisy at de shore. Dey are still yellin’ at de ocean. Dey drop rocks and sticks into de water ta fill it up so no other men will drown. But de sea? She’s still laughin’, eh? If you listen you can hear dem bubbles. Dis is de story of Jingwei and de boundin’ main.”

“What does
the bounding main
refer to?”

“De boundin’ main is de waters of de earth. De waters abound over de planet, and dey are de main resource. Much more abundan’ dan de lands.”

“There you are.” Kishan leaned against the doorjamb and smiled.

“Hi!” I stood and put my arm around his waist. “Just getting another story.”

“Good. You can share it with me later.” He looked up. “Mind if I steal Kelsey for the rest of the evening, Captain?”

Captain Dixon chuckled. “Sure ting. Jus’ make sure ya keep her away from de waters tonight. De sea, she listens. Lookin’ ta drown young lovers.”

I laughed. “Goodnight, Dix.”

“Ga’nite, Miss Kelsey.”

Kishan pulled me into a hug after we went down the stairs, and I tucked my head under his chin. “I missed you. Let’s go for a walk.”

It was a very romantic setting. The full moon had just risen, and the black water was as smooth as silk. It lapped softly against the ship and gently whispered secrets as the boat pressed on, slipping into her cold embrace. Thousands of glittering stars hung in the night sky which seemed to go on forever. I imagined they were lanterns left to guide handsome sea captains home to the women who loved them. Some grew dim over the years, but some burned fiercely, demanding to be seen.

There was no land in sight, just endless moonlit water as far as the eye could see. We stood at the railing, looking out. When I shivered, Kishan pulled me against his chest and wrapped his arms around me. Comfortable in his embrace, I found myself relaxing drowsily.

“This is nice,” I murmured.

He ducked his head near mine and said, “Mmm … it is.” He rubbed my bare arms until they warmed and then began lightly massaging my shoulders. I sighed in pleasure and stared vacantly at the moon as my thoughts drifted. In fact, I became so detached from my surroundings that I hadn’t even noticed when Kishan started kissing my neck.

One of his hands stroked my arm and the other was wrapped around the curve of my waist. He pressed soft kisses along my shoulder, then his lips traveled up the arch of my neck. He made slow progress, leaving a tingling trail behind. When he touched my hairline, he reached across my body, took my hand, and gently turned me to face him.

My heart started pounding. He ran his hands up my arms again, cupped my face, and slid his hands into my hair. He smiled, his golden eyes twinkling in the starlight.

“There. You see? Still plenty of hair for a man to bury his hands in.”

I smiled nervously as I fidgeted slightly. He tilted my head, stepped closer, and pressed silky, light kisses against my neck. “Do you know how long I’ve wanted to touch you like this?” he murmured softly. I shook my head and felt him smile as his lips grazed my collarbone. “It seems like years. Mmm … it’s better than I imagined. You smell
so
good. You
feel
so good.”

He trailed slow kisses from my neck to my forehead. I wrapped my arms around his waist and closed my eyes. His chest rumbled against mine. He kissed my eyelids, my nose, my cheeks with warm, soft lips. He made me feel cherished and treasured, and I enjoyed his touch.

My skin tingled where he grazed it with his fingertips. My heart beat faster when he whispered my name, and I responded to him, involuntarily moving closer. I waited for him to touch his lips to mine but he patiently, slowly kissed every other part of my face and trailed his fingertips over its planes, seeming to delight in each sweet caress. His kisses were tender and loving and gentle and …
wrong
.

Unbidden thoughts sprang up that I couldn’t push aside, no matter how I tried. Despite my best efforts to staunch my internal struggle— keep it hidden—it surfaced. Kishan paused and lifted his head. I saw his expression change from sweet adoration and happiness, to surprise, and ultimately to resignation and disappointment. Cupping my face, he wiped tears away from my cheeks with his thumbs and asked sadly, “Am I that hard to love, Kelsey?”

I lowered my head and closed my eyes.

He stepped away from me to lean over the railing again while I angrily dashed away the tears from my face. I was very annoyed with myself for ruining this sweet moment between us and especially for hurting him. Regret filled me. I turned to him, ran my hand up his back, and then slid my arm through his. I leaned my head on his shoulder. “I’m
sorry
. And, no … you’re not hard to love at all.”